Norwegians give Scandi mountains a new name

Europe's longest mountain range, which stretches from the northern tip of Norway to the southern town of Kristiansand, has been given a new name.

The 1,300-kilometer range, which is longer than the Alps and the Pyrenees put together, has been named 'Nordryggen' after a competition organised by the Norwegian Geological Society.

"'Nordryggen' is a worthy winner," said Henrik Svensen, the author and geologist whose 2011 book Bergtatt, argued that the range lacked a real name. "Now it's up to the people, geologists and scientists to take the name and use it."

Nordryggen received 27 percent of the votes in the competition, followed by Midgard Mountains, and Jutulhogget, with 24 percent and 19 percent respectively.

Jury member Tor Erik Jenstad explained that the 'nord' part of the name showed both that the mountain range lies to the north and also that it points in a northerly direction, while 'ryggen' suggested that the range resembles the back of a person or animal.

"It's pretty nice and it might fit quite well," said Karin Högdahl a geologist at Uppsala University in Sweden, which shares the range with Norway. "We'll see if the Swedes accept the name Nordryggen. Geologists can call them the Caledonides. That's the scientific name."

The mountains are known as the Scandinavian Mountains in English, and Skanderna or simplyFjällen, or 'The Mountains', in Swedish.

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